Mandrake Mouth
by avacotto
Summary: FLUFF James and Lily moments 4th year on
1. Mandrake Mouth year 4

James was not a morning person and liked to take his time waking up, however for the last 30 days he had had to wake up with the bitter taste of the mandrake leaf in his mouth. He forced himself up and looked across the room to his friend Remus sitting in the window watching the moon descend. It was for Remus that he and their other two roommates were secretly going through the Animagus process. Peter and Sirius slept on but James was anxious to finish his last day licking mandrake leafs so he for once got himself dressed and ready to actually start his day of classes. Nothing really got rid of the taste of mandrake but he figured tea couldn't hurt, it was just more leaves anyway he reasoned with himself as he headed down to the great hall for an early breakfast and maybe do some more fiddling with the map he and his mates were making together. As he opened the door to the great hall however he noticed only one other Gryffindor at their table, the one and only Lily Evans.

James grumbled under his breath, but continued on up the dining table to take the seat across from her, poured himself a tea, grabbed a jam biscuit, and pulled out his homework from the night before and his map. Through all of this Lily stared at him over her book, well she glared at him anyway. "Morning Lily" he said running his had through his hair and flashing her a smile.

If possible her glare turned into a death stare as she sighed and responded with a good morning that was more a question than a well wishing. "where's your slimy love puppy" he teased her nodding towards the Slytherin table where Severus was still not present. Lily slammed her book shut and stood up to leave but he grabbed her wrist and she fell back over the table. "I'm sorry," he said leaning towards her "that was out of line" he finished.

Lily's face turned sour "James your breath stinks" she teased as she tried to cover her nose with her hands, "what in Merlin's beard did you eat?"  
James just responded by blowing more mandrake breath in her face. "Whats that Lily?" he leaned closer over the table as she tried to squirm away but he held her arms to the table. Just then Severus walked into the great hall and upon noticing James being so close to Lily he rushed over to them.

"Hands off her, Potter" he warned. James merely lifted his hands from Lily and made a shooing motion at him.

"Get lost, this is between me and miss Lily here " he said winking at her Lily scoffed but Severus got red in the face and went to say something insulting when she stopped him grabbing his arm and pulling him with her as she got up to leave for the second time that morning.

"Later Lily" he called after her, before sighing and looking down at his map. He opened the folds of Parchment and spoke the words to activate it and watched as Lily and Severus' marks on his map moved out of the great hall and to the stairs where they stayed beside each other for a moment until Lily retreated up the stairs back to the Gryffindor common room and Severus returned to the great hall flanked by his equally slimy friends Avery and Mulciber and made their way to their own house's table. James waited for his friends to join him and watched for Lily on the map for the rest of the morning, and he wasn't even bothered by he mandrake leaf spoiling his breath.


	2. Life Debt year 5

Sirius really did it this time, James mumbled to himself as he approached the whomping willow. He looked up and saw the full moon and knew full well what that meant for his friend on the other end of the tunnel, and was fuming still as he descended into it, determined to get there before Sirius led Severus into real trouble.

James paused only a minute to transform himself into a stag and charged down the tunnel, gaining speed as he went. At the end of the tunnel stood Severus, seconds from unlocking the door, and Sirius right beside him, ready to transform himself and pounce. James didn't stop running, he charged at Severus catching him on his antlers and returning his charge back out of the tunnel where he deposited Serverus to the floor with a loud thud.

Severus rubbed his backside and checked his robes for tears and punctures from his rough ride. The stag still stood over him, blocking his path under the tree. Soon enough a figure emerged from the school in blue and lavender flowing robes. Severus's face blushed red, he felt like a fool on his ass. Sirius emerged from the tunnel and the stag transformed back into a boy, not just any boy, but the perfect little James Potter. Severus scowled.

As James explained the situation to the Headmaster and the realization struck him Severus felt like a fool. A life debt! It felt more like a prison sentence. He growled as he made his way back inside to his dormitory.

"You there!" called an authoritative voice from behind him "students should be in bed…" the voice was cut off as the Prefect approached. "Heavens" exclaimed Lilly Evans "Sev, you look like hell, come with me"

She grabbed his arm and dragged him to the empty kitchen halls and found some sweets she remembered he fancied. It was weird for both of them for a moment, they hadn't talked in a long while and the air was filled with things unsaid.

"What happened to you tonight?" asked lily

When Severus didn't answer she tried again "y'know I saw you leave with Sirius, and I saw James run out after you both, did youse get in another fight?"

This time he let her in enough to grumble about a life debt until he saw the look she gave him. Pity. That's what was in her eyes. Not love, not hope, not even friendship, just pity.

With that Severus grabbed his treat, thanked her briskly and walked back to his dorms.

"life debt?" Lily asked herself again. She was looking down the breakfast table to where James, Peter, Sirius, and Remus sat, laughing and having a fine morning talk. She could see tension between Sirius and James but that happened often, as best friends and roommates they often got into tiny scraps that usually lasted only a day. Not that she had noticed or anything. Lily got up and made her way to the doors, she knew that soon James would head out to the quidditch pitch for some early morning practice before the rest of the Gryffindor team. It was her only chance to ask him what Severus had been talking about.

When James finally left the great hall she figured the direct approach would get the most out of him. "James, can I talk to you for a second?"

James sighed "I don't know, can you?" he asked snidely

Lily rolled her eyes. "I was on Prefect duty last night, I saw you" that made the cocky attitude James had fall right off. His shoulders tensed as he waited still and silently for her to continue.

"and I saw Severus when he came in, he looked like hell, I thought youse had gotten into another fight but he said he owes you a life debt…. What does he mean?" lily asked inquisitively.

James sighed loudly, he thought maybe she had seen everything and was relieved that she only had that little. "its nothing" he said "you can tell Snivellus I wont be cashing in on that debt"

Lily scoffed "Severus and I haven't been friends in over a year now, not since he called me a mudblood"

James' look at her softened. "you didn't deserve that, and I'm sorry for the role I played in that day. Look I'm headed to the pitch, wanna come watch me at seeker practice for a bit?"

Lily shook her head but thanked him for the invitation and headed back to the great hall to finish studying while he headed back towards the quidditch field.


	3. Marauders Map year 6

The boys sat huddled together, conspiring no doubt. That summer it seemed like everyone started to really grow up. Sirius and Lupin had both grown several inches, perter had thinned out a bit over the summer and looked almost handsome if he hadn't been standing beside James, who's arms were more toned then they had been at the end of last year and had grown quite a bit himself, his dark hair fell a little shorter too making him appear smarter and more mature. Almost as soon as she thought that she regretted it. As if reading her mind James turned and scanned the room. As their eyes met Lily blushed a deep scarlet. She quickly turned away and back to her homework but now James was headed her way.

"Did you have a good summer Evans?" he asked her, in his usual mocking tone. Of course, he may look older and more matured but he would still be just James, the silly spoiled boy.

Lily turned to him, unwilling to let him win "a wonderful summer, I see you and your… what do you call yourselves now? The marauders are catching up"

"Not really, Sirius stayed with me all summer" he admitted "and Remus is always welcome in my home, so really just Peter who was away with his folks" James trailed off from his train of thought. "how did you spend your summer? Did you make up with your sister?"

Lily sighed sadly "not really, shes got a new boyfriend. Hes awful and boring but she loves him and spent all summer with him so it was really just me most of the summer"

"why didn't you tell me? You did get my owl didn't you? You didn't come to our midsummer party"

Lily was confused by this "yes I got your owl, I just hadn't wanted to go. Honestly I thought it was a joke that you invited me at all Potter"

"Why would you think that?" asked James confused "when I asked you out the end of last year it wasn't a prank or a joke despite what you may think"  
Lily scoffed at him. "Grow up Potter. If you want me then get serious. No more pranks or jokes or that other foolishness you and your hooligan friends get up to". And with that she got up and walked away, proud of herself for not caving in to him. He had to be joking again so hopefully that scared him off for a bit longer so she could remember his pretty face was a fox in sheep clothing. She screamed inwardly at herself as she climbed the stairs to the girls dormitories of Gryffindor common room for even making eye contact with him in the first place

Lily Evans was never alone. Between her classes and extra curriculars it's a wonder how she got any sleep. If rumors were true she was in the running to be head girl next year, and he believed it. James was absolutely smitten, which earned him all the teasing from his friends, especially Sirius. Worse yet was that she didn't even notice that he no longer partook in the hi-jinxes he and his friends played in their previous spent most of his free time tweaking the map they had made of the school. An enchanted, magical map showing secret passages and alerting them to someones approach. But truth be told most of the time he wasn't tweaking he was just watching Lily. On the occasions she was alone somewhere he would try to be nearby and strike up conversations or invite her to quidditch matches or anything just to get her attention. Mostly though, she wasn't alone.

She wasn't around other guys alone though so there was still hope. There were no rumors about her dating anyone either. And as far as he had seen her and Severus really had broken off their friendship the previous year after the incident where he called her a mudblood.

Were she any other girl, James was fully confidant he could walk up to her and ask her out and she would say yes, but this was Lily Evans and Lily was not your typical Hogwarts student. And James was willing to do anything for her, even if it meant waiting for his chance to prove himself first. So for now James simply tinkered with the complex spells used on the map, and watched Lily's mark as it navigated the halls surrounded by friends and waited for his next chance.


End file.
